Puppet Strings
by The charcoal angle
Summary: When evil knocks at two friends nightmares they are given a chance to change their reality but at what cost?
1. Chapter One: Beginnings And Endings

**Chapter One: Beginnings And Endings **

Crystal looked out the window next to her school was going to be out soon then she would go home just like yesterday and most likely it's going to be the same as tomorrow. She let out a small sigh she turned her head to look at the teacher who was lecturing about the American revolution or…..…..

something.

It's just the American revolution anyway it's not like it's the most important thing in the entirety of the universe! If worse comes to worse she could just read all this stuff on Wikipedia. Crystal hadn't been paying much attention if you couldn't already tell. She looked at her watch. if only time could move faster.

Halfway across the school a girl by the name of Kelly sat at her table reading her book as usual.

Just another boring day in study hall she turned her head to the clock. 2:59 getting close.

Kelly's friend, Crystal had been wanting to have Kelly over for a sleepover all week so two of them had decided on today of all days to do so.

Kelly was sure that Crystal was just as excited for the school day to be over with as she was. Kelly closed her book and picked up her near by notebook. One of many she kept with her at all times. She twirled her pencil in her left hand and before writing down a single sentence:

_There's nothing more boring than reality itself._

As soon as she wrote it she erased it. Kelly looked at the page again if she wanted to be an author she needed to practice but, for some reason it was getting harder and harder to write the stories that used to come so easily. It wasn't that she was having writers block or anything it was just… Their wasn't much point in thinking about it. Kelly stared hard at the page in front of her willing it to write itself but before she could write anything bell rang. Kelly sighed closing her notebook she would have to continue this later.

Crystal walked out the swinging doors that lead to the school's courtyard. It's called it a 'courtyard' but it looked more like a square concrete thing with green shrubs surrounding it and, a few benches here and there.

Crystal really thought they should rename it something else. Maybe ' that one concrete place that's at school'? Nah that doesn't sound right. Crystal continued walking until she saw Kelly across the courtyard quietly reading a book at one of the benches.

Crystal walked up behind her.

"Hay."

Kelly didn't look up from her book.

"Hello, Crystal."

Crystal frowned.

"I didn't scare you that time either did I?"

Kelly smiled and closed her book.

"Nope, better luck next time."

Kelly stood up; She was a little shorter in height than Crystal, with chocolate brown hair and bright green eyes. Crystal had blonde hair and blue eyes. Kelly was quiet and reserved while Crystal was easy to pick out in a crowd. Crystal was a senior and Kelly was a sophomore also, if you couldn't tell already they had completely different opinions when it came to school. Though somehow they have been friends ever since Crystal moved in next-door three years ago.

Kelly looked over to Crystal.

"We better get going before it gets to late." Crystal nodded. "Right." Kelly and Crystal started the 1.3-mile walk to Crystal's house. With Kelly on the left and Crystal on the right.

Crystal popped a piece of gum into her mouth and offered a piece to Kelly. She smiled and took it.

"Thanks."

Kelly said beginning unwrapping the gum piece.

"So, are you going to that party next Friday?" Kelly nearly dropped the gum.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, don't act like you're so innocent. I know you got an invitation."

Kelly rolled her eyes. "likely story."

"So you _didn't_ get an invitation?"

Kelly bit her lip. "No, I did."

Crystal laughed.

"I don't know why you do that." "Do what?"

"Act like something didn't happen when it did. Lying without really lying. You do it all the time."

Kelly popped the piece of gum in her mouth. "I guess it's just something I do without thinking."

Crystal gave a sideways glance towards Kelly.

"So about the party…." "Not going."

Crystal glared at Kelly.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to."

Crystal walked around Kelly and started walking backwards.

"Listen up Kelly, high school doesn't last forever so you have to make the most of it!"

Kelly stared blankly continuing to walk foreword. She'd learned long ago that it was better to let Crystal go off on her tangents than to interrupt her besides it was the polite thing to do.

"You're already in your sophomore year and you haven't been to a single party!"

Crystal turned back around now facing foreword continued walking.

"You need to live a little before you graduate! You know?"

Kelly suddenly found the other side of the street very interesting.

"So, why….."

Crystal stopped mid-sentence.

"Kelly are you listening to me?"

Kelly turned her head back to Crystal.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Crystal sighed knowing that if she continued now Kelly most likely wouldn't listen.

"Never mind. Lets just get home"

Kelly and Crystal fell silent. They walked along the busy street passed a few smaller streets after a little while Crystal began humming quietly to herself. Kelly looked over at Crystal. Kelly often heard Crystal humming some obscure song. She figured it was just a habit. Everyone has them.

Crystal walked through the door into the entryway of her house followed by Kelly. "Mom! I'm home!" Crystal's mom poked her head out from one of the doors. "How was school?" Crystal set her backpack down. "Good, can Kelly stay the night?"

"Sure, as long as her parents are okay with it and as long as you don't stay up to late it is a school night after all."

"Thanks Mom."

Crystal walked passed her Mom into the living room.

Kelly grinned.

"Thank you Mrs.Kacvinsky."

Crystals Mom smiled back.

"Your welcome anytime Kelly."

Crystal called from a little ways ahead.

"Hey, you coming?"

"Be right there!"

Kelly replied setting her backpack down and fallowing Crystal into her living room.

Crystal's living room was big in comparison to most. With the furniture arranged in a square shape facing the T.V. mounted on the wall. Kelly faced Crystal crossing her arms in front of chest. "So, what did you want to show me?" "Well you know the show I've been talking about?"

"You mean the one you wouldn't shut up about?"

"Yeah, that one. Well the newest episode is tomorrow night so, I thought we'd watch it together!" Kelly gave Crystal a confused look. "Why did you want me to stay tonight if the shows tomorrow night?"

"Well…"

"How many left?"

"About five more episodes in this season then we have to get through the episodes airing this season." Kelly inwardly groaned. Note to self: never agree to doing a 7 hour long marathon of a show you may or may not like no matter how much your friend begs you. Not that the show was bad, it was actually some what good but watching it for more than two hours was starting to get old. Crystal on the other hand was completely oblivious to her friends discomfort enjoying the show herself.

Four hours later_

Kelly was relieved when the series was finally over. well….not over, over, but she had watched up until the most recent episode which means she wouldn't have to watch any more of it… until Friday that is.

"Would you like anything to eat?"

"Do you have any soda?"

"What kind?"

Kelly thought for a moment.

"Do you have coke?"

"On it!"

Crystal marched out of the room giving Kelly sometime to breath. A few minutes later Crystal came back with a can of coke in each hand in each hand. Crystal handed one to Kelly while keeping one for herself.

"Thanks."

Crystal opened the soda in her own hand.

"No prob."

Crystal sat back down picking up the T.V. remote and turning it on. The two of them making themselves comfortable for what they both knew would be a long, long, night.


	2. Chapter Two: Nighttime And Night Scares

**Chapter 2: Nighttime And Night Scares**

Crystal was surfing through the channels. They had finished the T.V. series about two hours ago after that Crystal and Kelly had gone through the channels looking for some juicy late night television. Kelly picked up her soda the fourth one she'd had this evening, Crystal had had six by now. The channels flipped by after a few moments static started to appear on The screen fuzzing and blurring the images soon the audio was gone to. Kelly was beginning to get frustrated, watching the deformed images and sounds of the channels as each went by.

"Is there supposed to be a storm tonight?"

she wondered aloud. Both looked too the nearest window, it had become dark after the hours of marathon TV, but the moon was full and showed no sign of looming clouds or any weather disturbance for that matter.

"Guess not."

Crystal concluded despite them both knowing the obvious answer,

"Maybe we can pop in a DVD or something?"

Kelly suggested taking another sip from her soda. Crystal, considering the option. Stopping her crusade through the television stations. The pictures continued to scatter and flicker in and out, Crystal was about to give her response when the TV decided it wanted to go back to working order.

Its pictures perfect and reception no longer afflicted and lagged.

"Never mind I guess?"

Kelly shook her head in confusion.

"I highly suggest you ask your parents to get a new TV."

"No, duh."

They both watched the station Crystal had stopped on, it was apparently playing an old re-run of a black and white suburban TV show that was probably somewhere from the 50's or 60'S. The two both laughed at how cheesy and enjoyably awful it was, the son had apparently been tossing his football round in the house and broken his mothers dishes.

Half way through the program a dog outside started barking. It started soft and distant but, as time went on it grew louder and closer.

Crystal sighed,

"And theirs Mr, Hamilton walking his dog."

"does that guy ever sleep?"

"during the day maybe."

Crystal gave another sigh.

"Ignore him and his yippie dog. They'll be gone in five minutes."

Kelly looked back at the TV screen and tried to take her advice.

"Gosh darn it Billy if you pull another stunt like that I'll strangle you with my bare hands darn it!"

"I didn't mean it pa! I didn't mean it really! Don't hit me! Don't hit me! please!"

Kelly blinked confused and shocked at the surprising twist from the family friendly sitcom.

"Did you change the channel?"

Kelly asked.

"Did you?"

"No….."

Now the father was walking up to Billy who was crying and cowering the corner. The father spoke:

"Listen Billy, what I am about to do is for your own good."

"N..no! Pleas pa! P..p..please!"

Kelly looked over at Crystal,

"Is this some kind of wacky remake or something?"

Crystal shrugged in reply. Kelly turned back to the screen.

The mother was now walking outside she noticed the father standing over Billy instead of rushing to her sons aid she lazily eyed the father before saying:

"What did the brat do now?"

"He broke your china dishes."

"My good ones?"

"Yeah."

A wide smile spread across the mothers face from one side to the other making her look like the Cheshire cat.

"What the heck?!"

Crystal muttered.

The mothers unnatural smile filled the screen.

"Well then, we're gonna have to make him pay aren't we?"

The father turned his attention back to Billy who had curled into a ball.

"Yes."

The father raised the iron bar in his hand bring it down on Billy just as the bar was about to hit him the screen and audio cut to static. Kelly and Crystal sat in complete shocked silence for a few minutes just staring at the static on the T.V. After a few moments Crystal spoke.

"What the heck was that?"

"No idea."

Kelly replied not taking her eyes off the T.V.

"Well it's done now whatever 'it' was. Come on we should get at least some rest."

Crystal stood up.

"I'll get some blankets you just settle down for the night."

"You mean what's left of the night? It's one in the morning right now."

"It is?!"

Crystal turned to look at the clock. Sure enough it was.

"Well we should hurry up then."

Crystal ran out of the room.

"Oh man, if my mom finds out she's gonna be pissed!"

Kelly picked up the T.V. remote. In an attempt to remove the twisted images from her mind that she had just seen Kelly pushed the off button.

Nothing happened.

Kelly frowned.

"Hey Crystal, I think your remote is-"

Before Kelly could finish the static seemed to come out of the T.V. involving the room. In an instant everything went black and white. Crystal walked back into the room dropping the blankets she had been carrying.

"What…"

A black triangle appeared on the T.V. screen slowly growing bigger until it filled the screen turning it completely black before it came out of the screen entirely and into Crystal's living room.

Kelly and Crystal remained dead silent.

The triangle/thingie/whatever it was glowed then flashed making both Kelly and Crystal cover there eyes when they lowered there arms again the triangle was now yellow…

and wearing a top hat.

**RU BLF XLFOW URTFIV GSRH LFG GSVM XLMTIZGH! BLF ZIV JFZORURVW GL IVZV GSVHV MLGVH ZG GSV VMW LU VMXS XSZGVI.**


End file.
